


Homesick

by CaligulasPeri



Category: 3 Below, Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:20:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26596699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaligulasPeri/pseuds/CaligulasPeri
Kudos: 12





	Homesick

“Little brother! Come, I need to show you something! Mary has said that you may come with us on our latest, ah, ‘hang out’ session. It is called a ‘lake’! Earth has entire bodies of water just...sitting there!” Without looking up from his work, a cold solder balanced between his lips, he responds with a roll of his shoulders. “Perhaps tomorrow. I _really_ need to finish refurbishing these circuits before I forget what goes where.” She doesn’t like that answer, moving further into the room to rest a hand on his shoulder. “Come _on_ , it wont take long! And you have the best memory out of us all, Krel, you—“

With this distraction, solder drips from the tip of his soldering iron, landing squarely on the pad of his thumb as it pinned a grouping of bare prongs down against the motherboard. Yelping, he throws down his soldering iron and clutches his hand with a growl, turning aside in his chair to send a murderous glare back at his sister, who had flinched her hand away with a look of shock. “Seklos and Gaylen- I said _no_ , will you just _leave me_ **alone!** ”

He hadn’t meant to raise his voice, and the scowl he gains in return makes him feel guilty. “Fine! Thats the last time I attempt to include you in _anything_ , Krel!” She snaps, turning on her heel to stomp away and out of the house, arms folded tightly against her front.

Clenching his jaw, he peers down at his hand, twisting his wrist to expose the burnt thumb- the skin turned a light blue, stark against the brown of his skin. He could only stare for a moment, before allowing a scowl to spread over his features. He brings the thumb to his mouth, the bitter metal taste of scorched skin filling his mouth. His other hand slides down to his serrator, clicking once on the smaller transduction button to bring himself back into his comfortable true form now that he was _finally_ alone.

Breathing out a low, frustrated sigh, he smooths his upper hands over the backs of his lower ones, linking the fingers together on each side. Aja deserved the time to herself and her friends. Krel could keep working alone- he _had_ to keep working. She didn’t have the knowledge to fix the ship, so he had to work hard for the both of them. He just wished she recognised the importance of his work. He couldn’t have these distractions! His nonexistent stomach twists, and he takes a moment to swallow back the lump growing his throat.

The familiar blue glow of mother bringing up her hologram from behind makes him tense up, the motherboard between his hands suddenly becoming a lot more interesting. “..I am perfectly fine, Mother.”


End file.
